MOSCOW. July 31 (Interfax-AVN) - The Military Academy of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff will soon have a new head, the Kommersant newspaper wrote on Friday.
"Kommersant has learnt that the Military Academy of the Russian General Staff will soon get new leadership: Sergei Kuralenko will cede place to Alexander Galkin, a former commander of troops of the Southern Military District and the current aide to Sergei Shoigu," the publication said.
"According to our sources, Mr. Kuralenko will transfer to the Ground Forces command," Kommersant wrote.
The newspaper learnt of the academy reshuffles from its own sources in the Defense Ministry.
This fall Lieut. Gen. Kuralenko will be succeeded as head of the academy by Col. Gen. Galkin who is currently an aide to the Russian defense minister, the sources said.
"Mr. Kuralenko in turn will be joining the Ground Forces command, becoming deputy to the Ground Forces commander-in-chief, Col. Gen. Oleg Salyukov," the source said.
The Defense Ministry could not be reached for official comment on Thursday, Kommersant says.
The 59-year-old Galkin was appointed as an aide to the defense minister in late January 2017. "From December 2010, Mr. Galkin led the Southern Military District which included Russian installations in Crimea before its accession, as well as former Ukrainian military units on the peninsula. Among Alexander Galkin's awards is the 'For the Return of Crimea' medal in 2014. In addition, the same year the European Union placed him on the list of individuals against whom visa restrictions were introduced," the publication says.